Across the Hall:Picture Frames
by clickingofkeys
Summary: Living together for several months now, Jess and Nick have clearly stepped over the boundaries of just a simple roommate friendship. But as Jess has a third date with another man, Nick seems to be the only one wanting to help her. (More to come)


She had worn that white dress, the one that hung below her knee just barely, the way that seem to make her more attractive then the girl that he normally had seen at work and out. The dress seemed to stay in his mind longer then what Nick would normally obtain, but for some reason this dress, the dress he had seen so many times before lured him in, more then he had ever been, and with his eyes following up, he only found his eyes meeting with the roommate he would never assume himself with, Jess Day. The quirky girl who always seemed to find herself in an upside down situation where Nick was one to always help, even with the anger that raged into him, Jess always seemed to confide in him. Nick knew he was staring far too long, but Jess seem to take no notice that night, normally she would throw some banter at him for checking her out, something they often did as their friendship through out the months had only grown stronger, but again, tonight seemed different, somehow special. With Nick sitting in the same indent he always did on the couch, the game played in the background, the chanting of the score, and Winston shouting at the television for the reefier to open his eyes, it was a normal Thursday night for them, no work for the night, and only the game and beer and a possible pizza filled their night, but with Jess, she had other plans.

"Have you seen my other diamond earring?" Jess interrupted Nicks glances towards her as his eyes moved off her finally.  
Jess was always one to lose something, be it her earrings, shoes, money or especially keys, she was a habit to lose her head if it wasn't on her body. As the brunette rushed out of the room, Nicks eyes still seemed to linger in the area that she had stood in.  
"Nick…nick…nick" Winston continued as he tried to get the attention that Nick was ignoring. With his arm laying to the back of the couch, Nick looked back at the game, seeing the clock end so soon. But with his team rushing on the television, this being the finals to the end, Nick was more occupied with the white dress woman then anything ever before.

As the sound of rustling gathered to the room that was across for his, the sound of Jess voice echoed the hallway, as she continued to scatter around her room in search of the earring she seemed to have lost. Finally standing up, Nick came searching for the one thing she needed, as he neared her door, as he stood watching her on her knees, searching low for the obvious small item.  
"Maybe a possibly one earring bandit" Nick teased as the huffing and puffing of Jessica Day showed at him.  
"Look Nick, I'm not down for your jokes right now, I'm already running late for my third date, and I have to wear my lucky earrings, and they're not very lucky if I only have one, because no matter how much I think, I won't even be half lucky" a half smile formed on her face as her hand placed on the wood of her bed, bringing her small body up as she became to her feet once more, as she moved to her vanity, her petite fingers gliding along the top, as the once clean room had been devoured in moments of her searching.

Letting out a loud sigh Nick looked down the hallway, as he eyed the couch that Winston still propped himself on. Uncrossing his arms he moved into the familiar room of Jessica Day as he moved to the opposite side of her bedroom where she stood, with the silence filling the room, Nick scanned near her window sill, seeing the pictures she had obtained, placing them in picture frames, many of them being of her and CeCe, her and her family, and what finally caught his eye was a photo of himself with Jess, the picture had been a few months old now, he nearly forgot the night that it was taken, a night that Nick remember as only something that straightened their friendship into something more then just a roommate, something he cherished himself, even though he would never admit to anyone, especially Jess herself. Taking the picture frame the picture sat in, Nick was wearing one of his famous plaid shirts, possibly his favorite, as Nick realize the same dress she wore that moment sat in the picture frame. Placing a small smile on his face, his back still neared Jess, as he didn't know if she had taken notice of his actions, but as he turned around as she was now sitting down sifting through her drawers. Taking the moment alone, he couldn't help but realize that somewhere in the last months him and Jess seemed to step over something.

"I'm never going to find it!" Jess shouted as it alerted Nick nearly startling him as he walked closer to her, the frame still in hand as he stood near Jess now, finally realizing the photo in his hand, as Jess looked up from her chair, glancing at what was in his hand. Jess bit her lip, she hadn't taken notice of what Nick had been up to, thinking he was only helping her find something that really didn't seem to be a point anymore, but she couldn't bring down the charade.  
Placing his hand on her shoulder, he continued to look down at her, shying away from the picture placed in his hand. Nick didn't know why on earth this seemed like some odd situation that was brought to him, normally it wouldn't be something, but for some reason his palms sweated and his heart was beating fast, a feeling Nick had never felt, not even with Carolyn.

Standing up Jess met Nicks eyes, her being much shorter then her roommate, she looked up at him, the inches seemed micro as a small brought to her face, as did it with Nicks. The silence brought to them, the alone time only seemed to be screaming something that they both didn't understand. Something that wasn't shared ever before.

"Nick you are missing one hell of a game" Winston shouted down the hallway, as both their eyes broke apart as finally the missing item had caught Nicks eye, as he pulled the small earrings off the edge of the mirror.  
"The one place you didn't look Jessica" Nick grinned as he placed it in her petite hand, brushing his fingers against her as he pulled away quickly. As he turned around returning the frame as he unknowingly knew Jess was watching him. Returning with a small simple grin on his face as he walked past her, knowing that now Jess was reading for her date, with another man.

"Hey Miller" Jess shouted out as Nick turned around. "Thank you" she grinned back at him, as Nick continued his eyes on her. The silence stayed for a moment, straying slightly as the small smile laid on both their faces.


End file.
